Convicted gang rapist Mohammed Skaf hit with two dozen drug charges in Sydney

• The US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on April 8 following weeks of intense conflict and retaliatory attacks. • The agreement aims to halt hostilities and initiate protracted negotiations between the two nations.

• Former President Donald Trump claimed that Iran shot down a helicopter on June 9, 2026, and vowed that the United States would "respond" to the incident. • The claim comes amid escalating tensions involving a broader US-Israel military conflict against Iran and ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

• Regional tensions persist in the Middle East nearly four months after the latest crisis erupted, despite a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran. • The UN Security Council is convening for a high-level debate to discuss advancing political solutions to address ongoing conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.

• The International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations 2026 will focus on the theme of "Digital Dialogue" to highlight the role of technology in cultural exchange. • The initiative emphasizes how digital communities, including social media groups and virtual exchanges, facilitate mutual learning and global solidarity.

Singer and actor has denied all charges after more than 20 women came forward with allegations going back to the 1990sThe French singer Patrick Bruel has been charged with rape and sexual assault in one of the biggest #MeToo cases in the French music industry.The 67-year-old, a major figure in French pop culture, was placed under formal investigation over several cases that included alleged rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. Continue reading...

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the only passenger to survive the incident in June 2025, which killed 260 peopleThe only survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed 260 people in June 2025 has called for “honesty, transparency and answers” a year on from the disaster, and spoken about his “significant psychological scars” and financial hardship.Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, has previously described his fate as a “miracle” after being the only person to survive the incident, in which a Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. Continue reading...

New name, Bristol Dockyards, and museum revamp aimed at becoming more rooted in community, says chief executiveOne of the UK’s maritime landmarks is being renamed as part of a drive to make it “cooler” and more inclusive.For a decade, the dockland site in Bristol that houses the ocean liner SS Great Britain, which was designed by the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has been promoted as Brunel’s SS Great Britain. Continue reading...

Environmental groups say exchange between US government and SpaceX would worsen ecological risksSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Environmental groups on Wednesday sued in an attempt to stop the Trump administration from giving SpaceX more than 700 acres (280 hectares) of wildlife refuge in Texas, claiming it would worsen ecological risks to a Gulf coast region already transformed by billionaire Elon Musk’s rocket operations.The US Fish and Wildlife Service this month approved moving forward with the deal with SpaceX, which would surrender 683 acres (276 hectares) the company owns in exchange for federal land in the Lower Rio Grande Valley national wildlife refuge. The 103,000-acre (41,700-hectare) refuge spans four counties along the Texas border and is home to animal habitats and historical landmarks. Continue reading...

Any official reprimand will come from regulator Ofcom, but not for at least two monthsUK politics live – latest updatesElon Musk’s X will face no action to remove a mass of posts inciting violence in Northern Ireland for at least two months, despite widespread condemnation of the platform and its billionaire owner.Concern over the role social media played in spreading disturbing images and fuelling anger continued to grow on Wednesday as police and community leaders urged calm. Continue reading...

Shasta county passes measure requiring elections to be held in person on one day and limiting absentee ballotsUS politics live – latest updatesNorthern California’s Shasta county, best known for its radical conservative politics and thriving election-skeptic movement, appears on track for another clash with the state over a newly approved ballot measure that would transform local elections.In last Tuesday’s election, the majority of voters in the rural county backed Measure B, which requires elections to be held in person on a single day and limits who can cast an absentee ballot – effectively putting an end to vote by mail – while also requiring photo ID and a hand count. Continue reading...

Force disperses crowd of 300 people who burned truck and reportedly planned to target hotel hosting migrantsPolice have used water cannon against rioters in Northern Ireland in a second night of anti-immigration protests.Police used the cannon to disperse a crowd of about 300 people who burned a truck and threw bricks and other missiles near the Sandyknowes roundabout near Newtownabbey, eight miles north of Belfast. Continue reading...